Bruce Giudici has taken a double-digit lead despite dying two months before the vote

A candidate who died two months before Election Day has taken a commanding lead in a local California race, according to unofficial results released by county election officials on Tuesday.

Bruce Giudici is leading former supervisor Clyde Clapp by 57% to 43% in the race for the Calaveras County Board of Supervisors, despite having died in August following a fall while campaigning.

Giudici reportedly suffered serious injuries after falling while visiting voters and later died in hospital. His campaign chose to keep his name on the ballot, leaving voters to decide whether to elect a candidate who could never take office.

Under California election law, votes cast for candidates who die less than 68 days before an election must still be counted.…